Pictures Within

Picture Within

In the town of Howardville, near the taxes border.   There was a family that went by the name of Anderson.  The grandmom was a very old fragile lady.  "The townsfolks called her, the lady that never dies.  Maybe cause this lady was around when their great-grandparents were alive, and now they are dead for so long,  how is this lady hanging on.  Everyone said that the lady was the devil's daughter, that was the reason she didn't age.

Ms. Anderson has been around since 1880, some say, others say that it's not the same lady, once one female in the family ages, she moves here and takes the role.   Other said, that theirs no old lady in the mansion and that Anderson's Family thrive for attention.  But that wasn't the case with Thomas, he was sent away to a private school.  His grandmother never cares much for children.  So no one in town understood why did she let the boy come home.

Thomas was on the first train back home.  He wasn't too excited to see his grandmother.  He remembers the moment his parents went missing, they send him away the following week, not caring if his mother was returning or not.    Thomas boarded the train and headed to his seat, he was four when they send him away, it's been five years, Thomas had just turned nine.

He took his seat, then took out his map to his home.  He wanted to know where to go to have fun, like parks, movies, things of that nature.  As he sat there marking his map, the gentleman sitting next to him happen to see the spots he circled on the map.  "You ever been there?' asked the stranger as he stares at the map.  "Yes, I was born there." replied Thomas   "So then, you know what goes on in that town?" he asked   "Oh, no, I'm only nine, I left when I was three, really I'm new to the town," said Thomas as he begins to put the map away a little nervous.  

"Well, boy let me tell you the what I know, there's an old lady in that town.  She no human, she an alien, monster, whatever I really don't know.  But I'm fifty years old and when I first saw that lady she looked the same.  Same wrinkles, same hair, same creep as voice.  Well, I remember she had a beautiful daughter when her daughter ran away with a boy in the next town, she became furious.  The couple had a child, I guess, for when I was your age, I saw the little boy, but didn't see her daughter nor the boyfriend ever again.  No one question it, they figure they moved away.  But that's not what happens, she did something to them.  Here, you going to need this." the stranger said as he hands him a large envelope.   

"What is this?" the boy asked  "Don't open this now, when you get home.  Find a place that only you know, make sure it's night time when you read the clippings.  I was going to destroy all this, but for some reason, no matter how many times I threw it in the trashcan, it appears back on my desk.  Now, you see I gave it to you right?" the stranger asked  "Yes, sir I do see you." replied Thomas   

Now, if you read the clipping during the day, bad things start to happen and somehow that freaken old lady starts following your dreams asking for the clipping and of course trying to kill me.  Somehow, during the day she can see and feel everything.  I'm telling that thing is not human.  I get off next stop, if for any reason you go read the clipping at night and they've disappeared, don't worry, I might just have them on my desk again.  But if they're still there for you to read.  Then, they were meant for you somehow.  You be careful now, and stay away from old ladies," said the stranger as the train stopped and he and others stepped off.  

Thomas still had an hour more to go.  He glanced at the envelope.  "This is so, so, wrong.  He tells me to stay away from the old lady, shit my grandmom is an old lady.  I was too young when she sent me away but, I remember her face being very evil.  Right now, I rather go back to school." he thought to himself as he looked out the window.

While looking out the window, he seems to doze away.  He began dreaming, someone trying to stick into a picture, then an old lady wanted to bite him when he quickly woke up.  He looked around and noticed the envelope was still on his lap with the sunlight shining above.  Thomas remembers what the stranger told him.  He quickly stood up, and under his chair where he kept his two bags and placed it inside.  He then sat back down. 

 The attendant was serving dinner to everyone.  She went to use the restroom.   As he was washing his hands, he felt someone breath behind him.  He turned and glanced around.  Every single hair on his body was standing up at this point.   He looked in the mirror, "The thing that men said really is freaking me out." he said to himself as he washed his hands and quickly went back to his seat, looking at every that looked at him.   Thomas ate his burger and fries and waited for five more minutes for the train to stop.  He was home, although he didn't feel that way.